Logistics Viewpoints

JUNE 29, 2023

It is crucial for organizations to understand the importance of Purchase Order collaboration to effectively manage their direct spend, optimize operations, and mitigate risks. Make to Order: Here, products are manufactured based on specific customer orders.

Manufacturing Procurement 273

Manufacturing Procurement Procurement Analytics Material Savings Inventory Reduction 273

Supply Chain Shaman

APRIL 27, 2022

At each company, there is a relationship between the metrics of growth, margin, inventory, customer service, and asset strategy. For the purpose of this article, I will use Return on Invested Capital (ROIC) as the proxy metric to discuss asset utilization.) Supply chain excellence was largely defined as manufacturing excellence.

Procurement Analytics 369

Procurement Analytics Manufacturing Procurement Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Design Software 369

Jaggaer

NOVEMBER 14, 2024

In today’s dynamic market, procurement is far more than just a buying and purchasing center. Forward-thinking organizations have transformed the department into an untapped gold mine that creates value for the entire end-to-end manufacturing process—from design and sourcing to production and delivery.

Manufacturing Procurement 52

Manufacturing Procurement Optimal Sourcing Procurement Solutions Procurement Analytics 52

RFgen

DECEMBER 19, 2024

By maximizing space utilization, improving inventory control , and boosting workflow efficiency, you can unlock significant cost savings and elevate your customer service game. Essential technology solutions, including Warehouse Management Systems (WMS), Inventory Management Systems (IMS), and the transformative power of IoT and automation.

Optimal Sourcing 97

Optimal Sourcing Optimization Software Waste Reduction Inventory Reduction 97

Supply Chain Shaman

APRIL 2, 2025

The issue is that when companies optimize functional metrics, they throw the supply chain out of balance and sub-optimize value. We have not designed the planning systems to serve managers, directors, and vice presidents, aiming to improve decision-making and collaboration across the source, make, and deliver processes.

Optimal Sourcing 195

Optimal Sourcing Supply Chain Planning Software Modeling Supply Chain Design Software 195

RFgen

DECEMBER 19, 2024

That’s the power of manufacturing data collection. Manufacturing data collection is your secret weapon for boosting efficiency, cutting waste, and staying ahead of the competition. Manufacturing data collection is your secret weapon for boosting efficiency, cutting waste, and staying ahead of the competition.

Manufacturing Procurement 98

Manufacturing Procurement Optimization Software Supply Chain Planning Software Inventory Reduction 98

RFgen

DECEMBER 4, 2024

Supply chain efficiency is the cornerstone of success and involves the effective management of processes, resources, and technologies from procurement to production, transportation to warehousing. In the automotive sector, manufacturers are simultaneously reducing inventory costs and delivery times.

Sourcing Strategies 96

Sourcing Strategies Inventory Reduction Waste Reduction Expense Reduction 96

RFgen

JANUARY 16, 2025

Keeping track of all your moving parts in manufacturing is a tall order. That’s where manufacturing inventory management software comes in. We’re talking real-time tracking, automated purchasing, and a whole lot less stress. Spreadsheets just don’t cut it anymore.

Inventory Management Software 52

Inventory Management Software Manufacturing Procurement Supply Chain Planning Software Optimization Software 52

Logistics Viewpoints

AUGUST 15, 2022

GEP and the North Carolina State University (NCSU) Supply Chain Resource Cooperative surveyed supply chain, procurement and IT professionals across a range of industries to gain insight into their priorities and strategies regarding supply chain resilience and optimization. Procurement solutions are often updated with purchased information.

Supply Chain Network Software 313

Supply Chain Network Software Manufacturing Procurement Procurement Analytics Optimal Sourcing 313

Supply Chain Shaman

APRIL 24, 2025

The research methodology for the Supply Chains to Admire compares the performance of a company against its industry peer group for the metrics of Year-over-Year Revenue Growth, Inventory Turns, Operating Margin, and Return on Capital Employed (ROCE). Today, companies measure too many metrics without a clear definition of value.

Gartner 195

Gartner Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Planning Scenario Planning 195

Supply Chain Shaman

DECEMBER 28, 2020

Only four percent of companies compared to their peer groups improved balance sheet performance of growth, operating margin, and inventory turns. When compared to pre-recession years, we ended the decade with twenty more days of inventory. Days of Inventory Comparison. The first story is about a large regional food manufacturer.

Supply Chain Planning Software 420

Supply Chain Planning Software Forecasting Forecasting Software Modeling 420

Jaggaer

OCTOBER 24, 2024

Supplier Collaboration: Fundamental to Elevating Manufacturing Performance Supplier relationships are at the heart of manufacturing performance. That’s why supplier collaboration—that consistent, trusted, and responsive interaction between supplier and manufacturer—is pivotal to manufacturing success.

Manufacturing Procurement 52

Manufacturing Procurement Optimal Sourcing Sourcing Strategies Supply Chain Planning Software 52

Supply Chain Shaman

FEBRUARY 1, 2024

Optimization engines to improve functional metric performance resulted in an exploding number of planners. Rolling up a perpetual inventory signal takes eleven hours. Contract Manufacturing Signal Latency. In my last blog post, I shared insights on data synchronization between brand owners and contract manufacturing.

Supply Chain Planning Software 393

Supply Chain Planning Software Optimal Sourcing Manufacturing Procurement Waste Reduction 393

Supply Chain Shaman

SEPTEMBER 17, 2014

While the performance rankings were based on comparisons of inventory turns, operating margin and Return on Invested Capital (ROIC) for the periods of 2006-2013 and 2009-2013, the concept is that to be a supply chain leader you must outperform and drive improvement. Aligned Metrics. Can you help us with what you see in the data?”

Optimal Sourcing 366

Optimal Sourcing Supply Chain Design Software Supply Chain Planning Software Manufacturing Procurement 366

Supply Chain Shaman

SEPTEMBER 3, 2018

Over the last six years, we studied the connection between business results (growth, operating margin, inventory turns and Return on Invested Capital (ROIC)) and the link to company characteristics. Reward teams for cross-functional metrics. Focus functional metrics to improving reliability. What did we find?

Supply Chain Planning Software 377

Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Design Software Agile and Lean Supply Chain Supply Chain Software 377

Supply Chain Shaman

JULY 6, 2020

Frank, the line manager for manufacturing, dominated the meetings. Tom, the colorful warehouse manager, constantly heckled Frank for the increasing inventory levels while Ed, the quiet material/logistics manager, constantly questioned if there was a better way. The second step is to align metrics to the strategy.

Agile and Lean Supply Chain 365

Agile and Lean Supply Chain Supply Chain Design Software Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Strategy 365

RFgen

NOVEMBER 13, 2024

Picture this: You’re a warehouse manager, and with a few taps on your smartphone, you instantly know the exact location and quantity of every item in your inventory. That’s not science fiction—it’s the power of mobile inventory management. Ready to turn your inventory from a headache into a strategic asset?

Inventory Management Software 96

Inventory Management Software Real-time Visibility Inventory Reduction Inventory Management 96

SYSPRO Smarter ERP

MAY 26, 2025

In the fast-paced world of smart manufacturing, making quick, accurate and informed decisions is essential. Real-time decision-making, powered by artificial intelligence (AI) , is revolutionizing smart manufacturing processes. That said, manufacturers need to take several steps to successfully enable these technologies.

Manufacturing Procurement 52

Manufacturing Procurement Optimal Sourcing Inventory Management Software Predictive Analytics Software 52

Supply Chain Shaman

JUNE 6, 2013

Closing the gaps happens when there are aligned metrics, clarity of vision and aligned planning processes. It combines decisions across sell, deliver, make and source processes to drive value based outcomes. Most companies operate well within functions, but struggle to build strong horizontal processes. They lack cohesion.

Supply Chain Planning Software 331

Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Planning Optimal Sourcing Scenario Planning 331

Supply Chain Shaman

NOVEMBER 9, 2014

The team was organized around the functional silos of source, make and deliver. Proudly, I had led my division to have the lowest manufacturing costs with the highest Return on Assets. I also believed that this company would have the best inventory and customer service. It had been this way for over two decades. I was wrong.

Manufacturing Procurement 319

Manufacturing Procurement Optimal Sourcing Benchmarking Supply Chain Design Software 319

RFgen

NOVEMBER 27, 2024

It’s the key to transforming your supply chain from a source of frustration into a well-oiled, profit-generating machine. Data analytics also offers actionable insights for: Inventory Management: See stock levels across multiple locations in real-time. That’s where data analytics comes in.

Optimal Sourcing 98

Optimal Sourcing Supply Chain Optimization Modeling Inventory Reduction 98

SYSPRO Smarter ERP

JULY 12, 2022

As supply chain disruptions continue the procurement function should adapt to improve transparency, build collaborative relationships, and ensure sustainable sourcing practices, resulting in a stronger, more resilient supply chain with Cloud ERP for manufacturing. Strategic sourcing with Cloud ERP.

Manufacturing Procurement 105

Manufacturing Procurement Procurement Analytics Optimal Sourcing Procurement Solutions 105

Silvon Software

APRIL 16, 2025

Inventory is the lifeblood of any manufacturing business. By leveraging analytics and key performance indicators (KPIs), manufacturers can optimize inventory, reduce waste, and boost profitability. Tracking inventory flow and performance across your supply chain is a must. But what exactly should you measure?

Optimal Sourcing 65

Optimal Sourcing Inventory Reduction Supply Chain Optimization Price Mitigation Strategies 65

Supply Chain Shaman

MARCH 21, 2024

During the 1980s, I was on a management team for a large manufacturer. The Company was attempting to gain economies of scale by grouping manufacturing technologies within a common infrastructure to reap the benefits of a co-generation facility, a centralized warehouse, and a talented administrative team. Lack of aligned metrics.

Inventory Reduction 435

Inventory Reduction Supply Chain Planning Software Cost Reduction Strategies Supply Chain Design Software 435

Supply Chain Shaman

JUNE 16, 2014

Despite two decades of advancement in supply chain technologies, companies are struggling to gain balance at the intersection of operating margin, inventory turns and case fulfillment. I have learned that supply chain systems are more complex than I originally thought, and that the relationships between supply chain metrics are nonlinear.

Supply Chain Design Software 320

Supply Chain Design Software Network Design Software Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Network Software 320

Supply Chain Shaman

DECEMBER 23, 2014

At that time, manufacturers talked about customer-centric supply chains, but were afraid to aggressively adopt ecommerce strategies. Manufacturers, today, are aggressively pursuing e-commerce strategies. Get Good at Having a Real-time Perpetual Inventory Signal. No matter where inventory is, put it to work. Redefine it.

Packaging 334

Packaging Inventory Reduction Supply Chain Design Software San Francisco 334

Logistics Viewpoints

MARCH 9, 2023

Commerce is global and regional at the same time, the world is getting smaller and more interconnected, and Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) manufacturers operate in this build-anywhere and sell-anywhere market. Here we have compiled a list of the top six challenges that CPG companies face in the post-pandemic market.

Supply Chain Planning Software 288

Supply Chain Planning Software Modeling Forecasting Software Optimization Software 288

Supply Chain Shaman

JANUARY 7, 2015

Tomorrow, I have a call with a manufacturing company to answer the question, “ What is the most important concept in the book?” While Joe is trying to balance the feedback from Filipe and Frank, he is often asked to change his metric targets by his CFO named Lou. Achieving Balance in Metrics. I have three.

Metrics 150

Metrics Agile and Lean Supply Chain Manufacturing Procurement Modeling 150

Supply Chain Shaman

JUNE 14, 2014

“The idea of the value chain is based on the process view of organizations, the idea of seeing a manufacturing (or service) organisation as a system, made up of subsystems each with inputs, transformation processes and outputs. ” Institute for Manufacturing, 2013. __. E2open last week announced the purchase of Serus.

Manufacturing Procurement 346

Manufacturing Procurement Optimal Sourcing Procurement Analytics Modeling 346

Supply Chain Shaman

OCTOBER 5, 2018

The award, based on beating the industry peer group on rate of improvement on the key metrics of growth, operating margin, inventory turns, and Return on Invested Capital (ROIC) while outperforming their peer group, is tough to achieve. Based in Paris, L’Oréal is a global personal care manufacturing company.

Case Study 330

Case Study Inventory Reduction Study Agile and Lean Supply Chain 330

Silvon Software

APRIL 19, 2022

Procurement is one core process area being focused to better manage today’s fluctuating change, with key performance metrics leading the way to assessing and managing procurement performance. The Basics of Procurement KPIs. Every KPI needs a clearly defined goal.

Optimal Sourcing 124

Optimal Sourcing Procurement Analytics Manufacturing Procurement Negotiate Pricing 124

ToolsGroup

SEPTEMBER 20, 2022

Automation is at the center of modern manufacturing businesses, with companies exploring the possibilities of artificial intelligence in improving workflows and profitability. Industrial engineers incorporate these technologies in designing and fabricating advanced manufacturing systems. How AI Is Changing the Manufacturing Industry.

Manufacturing Procurement 156

Manufacturing Procurement Supply Chain Design Software Supply Chain Planning Software Optimal Sourcing 156

Logistics Viewpoints

JULY 22, 2021

As product flows rapidly shifted and hard baked assumptions about lead times and sourcing locations were put to test, users across many organizations bypassed their planning systems and turned to excel sheets, internal data science teams or non-traditional supply chain vendors who could deliver AI based solutions at a faster turn.

S&OP 290

S&OP Supply and Demand Optimal Sourcing Supply Chain Design Software 290

SCMDOJO

OCTOBER 30, 2024

For instance, a student struggling with inventory management concepts can receive supplementary materials, interactive simulations, and one-on-one tutoring sessions tailored to their needs. Conversely, a student who quickly grasps procurement strategies can be challenged with advanced case studies and leadership projects.

Supply Chain Planning Software 97

Supply Chain Planning Software Analytics Software Forecasting Software Predictive Analytics Software 97

Logistics Viewpoints

SEPTEMBER 19, 2023

Management practices such as lean manufacturing and just-in-time inventory management, along with globalization, have made tremendous impact on cost and service, but have accentuated risk. Metrics such as lead-times, forecast accuracy, inventory levels, and service are used to measure operational risks.

Supply Chain Design Software 299

Supply Chain Design Software Supply Chain Design Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Software 299

Supply Chain Shaman

MARCH 5, 2019

While there are many types of visibility (see Figure 1), the most common use case is either sourcing or transportation visibility. Contract manufacturing or 3PL data often will have a 24-hour latency due to batch integration. The focus is on functional metrics, but are unable to get to overall supply chain metrics.

Supply Chain Design Software 340

Supply Chain Design Software Real-time Visibility Prescriptive Analytics Software Supply Chain Planning Software 340

Supply Chain Shaman

NOVEMBER 15, 2021

Inventories in the chemical industry are at record lows: a forerunner of bad days ahead. While we will recover quickly in retail (moving from painful shortages to a glut of inventory), the chemical industry–sitting four and five layers back in the supply chain–takes longer to recover. Retail shelves are increasingly empty.

Supply Chain Design Software 355

Supply Chain Design Software Supply Chain Planning Software Sourcing Strategies Supply and Demand 355